The Chordoma Community Day in Jacksonville was a wonderful event, bringing together patients, survivors, and their loved ones for a day of learning, connection, and inspiration. The event began with a heartfelt story from Denise Hawks, sacral chordoma survivor. Her candid reflections on navigating a chordoma diagnosis set an uplifting tone for the day.
The day began with a warm welcome from Shannon Lozinsky, followed by moving remarks from chordoma survivor Denise Hawks, who shared her lived experience and set a heartfelt tone for the event.
Dr. Irina Todorov of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville kicked off the quality of life sessions with an insightful presentation on integrative medicine approaches to optimize health after a cancer diagnosis. Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh followed with a resonant talk on cultivating resilience — providing attendees with tools to navigate both the calm and stormy moments of life.
One of the most memorable parts of the day was the Meet & Connect session, where attendees broke into small groups for open conversation. The energy and connection in the room made it clear how valuable these moments of shared experience are.
Kaitlyn Dietz, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC presented practical guidance on nutrition in chordoma care, followed by Dr. Adam Holtzman’s update on radiation treatment, which covered current practices, new developments, and what lies ahead for patients.
To close out the day, the Chordoma Foundation provided research and community engagement updates. Josh Sommer, the CF Labs team, and Dani Pike joined virtually to share the latest scientific progress and inspired attendees to make an impact and carry forward hope.
A warm thank-you to all who joined us. The sense of community, learning, and mutual support made this event truly special.
Recordings
In case you missed it, here are the recordings. Though they’re not top audio quality, we're sharing them because each speaker delivered unique and inspiring insights that offer hope in their own unique ways.
Chordoma Community Day Jacksonville (full playlist)
Questions?
Contact us at events@chordoma.org.